How many of you are married and in EMS and managed to stay married? Our field has a lot of stresses that affect married life. We spend a lot of time away from home, we develop close working relationships with our partners and many of us have destructive habits. We also have a different outlook on many things that people in the medical field do not understand.
Being away from home for us that work 24 hours shifts is normal. We spend 1/3 of our time away, if we don't work extra. Extra work increases that time away. For many that puts a lot of stress on our relationships. We miss time together with our spouses and children. Date nights with the spouse and kids events have to be missed because of work. At times it appears our job is more important that anything else. Some marriages just don't stand up to the pressure. For me, I have been blessed with a wife and two kids that have understood and accepted these absences. We did spend quality time camping and going to events but there were times when work interfered. I have been married over 31 years, to the same person, and have worked in EMS for 20 of that. It takes work to make it last.
On the other side of the coin, working 24 on 48 off gives you time off that other jobs do not let you get. I have been able to be involved in school and other activities with my kids that other dads could not. I also can spend time with my wife that other cannot. If you make the best of your time off, it can be great.
Shift work can be a blessing or a curse, depending on you and your family. It is worth the work. I am not sure if I could go to work Monday through Friday anymore.
Thank you. You also put up with my quirky work habits.
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